In Love With A Criminal
by swanqueenluvr
Summary: Emma Swan is a normal 28 year old New York City citizen, but will one Saturday at her local coffee shop change her whole life around? (Rated M for future chapters)
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone, thanks for stopping to read this. I _DO NOT_** **own any Once Upon A Time characters. All constructive criticism will be taken but please no hateful comments. Thank you and enjoy :).**

It was the morning of Saturday, March 8th. The light of the early sun shone through the curtains of Emma Swan's window. The young woman groaned as she found it impossible to shade her eyes from the suns rays. After giving up her fight with mother nature, she made her way into the bathroom. The cold white tiles of the bathroom floor stung the soles of her pale feet and they made a patting sound as she forced her body to the sink. As she turned on the faucet to wet her toothbrush she looked up at her reflection and blinked sleepily. Applying toothpaste to her toothbrush seemed harder than it looked for Emma, her brain was still partially asleep and her eyes shut rhythmically although she tried to keep them open.

She quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face. As the cold water stunned her cheeks she cringed and instinctively searched for a towel to dry her face. After she was awake and dressed, she grabbed her wallet and made her way to the cafe around the block, it was part of her usual morning schedule. Emma took her regular seat at a velvet covered booth and ordered her usual morning drink. Her beverage quickly arrived and she blew at the foam that rested atop.

As she brought the cup to her lips a loud crash startled her and caused her to drop it.

"EVERYONE ON THE GROUND AND GIVE ME ALL THE MONEY IN THE REGISTER!" A voice yelled.

Everyone in the cafe crouched down, but Emma sat in her seat in utter shock. She wasn't sure if it was because of the burning she felt on her thighs from the spilled drink or the fact that the cafe was being robbed. As she looked closer she noticed the figure of the robber, it was a woman. The black sweatshirt she wore hugged her breasts and the tight leather pants met with her knee high black boots. The robber kept her gun out and pointed at anyone who made any sudden movements. Once the money was retrieved she began to run towards the door.

It was at that moment when the woman stopped. She hadn't realized the blonde in the booth who had disobeyed her instructions until now. She turned her head slowly and made eye contact with Emma. At that moment Emma felt as if her heart gave up, she wasn't sure what was going to happen. As her body cringed a bit and her arms were pulled up to her face for some sort of protection, she heard a deep chuckle escape the other womans mouth. Emma slowly pulled her arms back to her sides and gulped.

The woman who was dressed in all black pointed the gun straight at the blonde. Emma waited for her to pull the trigger, she could feel her heart beat quicker than normally. Just as the thief began to pull her finger back, she placed her gun in her pocket and sent a hazel eyed wink in the blonde's direction.

The crowd that was still crouched down, watched in awe awaiting to see what would happen. There was a wave of silence that overcame the cafe, not even the breathing of the crowd could be heard. A large cloud of purple smoke began to engulf the thief and just like magic, she was gone. The crowd slowly rose from their positions and looked back and forth at each other reassuringly.

Emma rubbed her head , not completely understanding what had just happened. She got up from her seat and felt her sticky drink from earlier on her dark blue skinny jeans. Everyone's eyes gazed at the blonde as she got up.

"I..I better get home, so should you guys." She said swallowing nervously. As she walked out she could hear the commotion in the back. There were people crying, as the fear from the incident caught up to them. There were waitresses and waiters on the phone with the local law forces.

Emma slowly walked back to her apartment blankly. She wasn't even sure of what to make out of the situation. She removed her soiled jeans and threw them in the dirty laundry pile.

She sat on the bed and sighed, pulling her knees up to her chest she brought her quilt over her head and hugged tightly onto another pillow. She wasn't sure when she would get out of bed, or if she would ever understand what happened at the cafe but there was one thing for sure, she wanted to see the face behind the mask.


	2. Chapter 2

It was the day after the robbery at the cafe, Emma still laid in bed. She had been thinking the entire night about the thief.

_Why did she wink at me?_

_Why didn't she shoot?_

_How did she escape so quickly?_

All these thoughts kept her awake throughout the night, however, her heart seemed to flutter when she flashed back to when the other woman's hazel orbs locked with her emerald eyes. Emma shook her head from the vision and sat up in bed. She rubbed her forehead and sighed, just before she reached for the remote control her cellphone began to ring.

"Hello?" She answered in her groggy morning voice. She slouched over waiting for a response, all she heard was a soft breathing on the other end and then the line went dead.

Emma rolled her eyes and tossed her phone to the side. She grabbed the remote control and turned on her television. The local news station was reporting about the recent robberies in her neighborhood, some showed pictures of what seemed to be the mystery woman disappearing into the purple smoke. Emma watched in awe, this woman was fascinating, enchanting even and she wanted to see her again.

She heard her stomach roar with hunger and smirked, she quickly put clean skinny jeans on and grabbed her red leather jacket. She ran out the door and made her way to her favorite bagel spot. When she made her way outside the bright rays of the sun stung her eyes. She brought her forearm above her eyes to shade them from the sun.

She soon felt herself fall back on the pavement. The fact that her arm was covering her eyes left her with a blind spot as she was walking.

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry." She heard a quite familiar voice. She looked up and her jaw dropped.

There was a beautiful brunette woman standing above her with her hand stretched out offering help. Emma slowly took the other woman's tan hands and was pulled up quickly, this woman was stronger than she had imagined. Emma gulped softly as her eyes darted down the brunette's figure, she licked her lips but her gaze was interrupted by the tan woman's clearing of her throat. Emma's green eyes darted up to meet with the brunette's hazel.

"I'm Regina." She said showing off her expensively white smile. Emma felt her cheeks redden a bit with both embarrassment and the slight feeling of her being sheepish.

"I..I'm Emma." She smiled in return. She squinted slightly at the brunette, "Do I know you from somewhere?" Emma asked.

Regina's smile faded and she pursed her perfectly painted red lips. "I don't believe we've met before dear, but I actually must go I have a meeting." She stated.

Before Emma could respond Regina had left. She sighed and looked at her feet kicking them against the pavement. She turned around hoping to see the short brown locks that she so desperately wanted to, but unfortunately they were no longer there. She looked around a bit and then proceeded to walk to the bagel store.

"Hey Emma!" A male voice called out.

She smiled, "Hey Graham."

"Did you hear about those robberies?" He asked placing his hands in his jacket pockets.

Emma nodded, "Yeah I was in one of them." She chuckled.

"Seriously?!" He responded in a shocked tone.

"Yeah the one at the cafe."

He let out a sigh of relief, "I'm glad you weren't at the one from this morning, she came in, killed three people and left, she didn't even take any money."

Emma's jaw dropped, "Are you sure it's the same person?"

Graham nodded, "Purple smoke and all."

"Wow, I thought she only wanted the money."

He shrugged and shook his head as he held the door open for her, "I guess not. There's a theory going around that she might be working for someone which is why money wasn't important this time."

Emma kept silent, she didn't want to tell Graham about the flirtation scene at the cafe robbery, even if he was her best friend. After they ordered their bagels they took a seat at one of the booths.

"So Em, who were you looking for?" Graham randomly brought up.

Emma continued to chew the bite she had taken out of her breakfast and shrugged.

Graham smirked, "Who is she? Is she hot?" he asked with the chewed up pieces still in his mouth.

Emma swallowed her mouthful, "She's nobody and Jesus, Graham swallow your food."

He rolled his eyes and swallowed, "She's obviously someone if _you_ were interested in her."

Emma chuckled, "Ok I bumped into her while walking down the street," she smiled, "she looked really familiar and she was gorgeous but when I brought up that I thought I knew her, she just ran off."

"Oh man that sucks," Graham stated.

Emma rolled her eyes, "Thank you for being so fucking obvious. She was just breathtaking, what I'd give to see her again."

Graham looked at the door as a beautiful woman entered, "Hey what'd she look like?" He asked.

"She has beautiful brown eyes, short dark brown hair, it's kinda spiky at the end. She was wearing red lipstick and a grey pencil skirt. I think she was wearing a black coat with a red scarf. Oh and she has this-"

"Scar over her lip?" Graham interrupted.

"Yeah how'd you know?" Emma raised a blonde eyebrow.

Graham motioned his head toward the line at the cashier. Emma turned her body and smiled.

"Go get her tiger."

Emma chuckled and rose from her seat, she pulled up her skinny jeans and pushed her blonde locks behind her ear.

She made her way toward the brunette, "Regina?"

The brunette turned around, "Emma, I didn't you'd be here."

"Well I'm normally at the cafe around the corner but it got robbed so they closed down for a while." She shrugged.

"I was on my way to work but I forgot my coffee." Regina responded with a small smile.

"Here let me pay for it." Emma offered.

"No I can't possibly let you pay for it."

"Relax it's only two dollars, I'll survive, unless I get robbed." She joked.

Regina frowned, "I'm sure you won't. I heard that this thief has a thing for blondes."

Emma paid the cashier, "Really? Well good because I am single and I like me a rebel." She joked.

Regina smirked, "Well that's good to know. I'll see you later." She winked and walked out of the store.

Emma blushed and bit her lip.

"Snap out of it Romeo." Graham said slamming her bagel against her stomach.

"Oof." Emma said shaking her head.

"We've got to get to work." He reminded her.

She sighed and nodded in understanding.

"That was smooth, buying her a coffee." Graham stated.

"I try."

"I think she likes you, she winked at you." He nudged Emma playfully.

Emma groaned, "I forgot to get her number, I'm a fucking idiot."

"Seriously Emma this chick is throwing you off your game."

"Shutup, where's your car?" She asked.

"I thought you were driving today.."

Emma gave him an angry glare, "I guess we're walking to work then." She took an angry bite out of her bagel and walked alongside her co-worker.


End file.
